Where Black Stars Rise
by Stuart Johnson
Summary: Strange is the night where black stars rise, And strange moons circle through the skies, Yet stranger still is, Lost Carcosa. Song of my soul, my voice is dead, Die thou unsung as tears unshed, Must dry and die in, Lost Carcosa.
1. Of Prince and Princess

**Clip clop clip clop.**

Twilight Sparkle's hooves sounded out as she strode down the long marble corridors of Canterlot's palace. She had been through these hallways countless times on countless different occasions. Whether it was a friendly visit to Celestia or the Grand Galloping Gala itself, she had made some of her fondest memories in these halls. However, as she slowly tramped her way past a row of stained glass windows, she knew today was going to be one she would want to forget. Today was the day she had to deal with _him_.

Him being the royal pain in the rear himself, Prince Blueblood.

To be fair, Twilight had never personally spoken to him, but the tales she heard were ones of terror. The worst of the stories (typically those she had heard from Rarity) described a stallion who was so obsessed with himself that he could scarcely hold a conversation if the topic wasn't himself. She'd heard stories that he requested mares to throw down their jackets over puddles so he could walk over them, or refusing to enter a door that hadn't been held open for him. Even the stories from those closest to the Prince seemed to describe him as a pompous, pretentious little brat with little or no redeeming qualities. She gave a soft sigh as she mulled those stories over in her head, trying to pinpoint exactly why Celestia hadn't disowned the Prince.

Of course, Celestia had gotten her into this mess in the first place. She thought it would be nice if he and Twilight spent some time together, claiming that it would be a great opportunity for Twilight to learn more about the magic of friendship. Of course, Twilight had some suspicions about the exact intentions of her assignment. She had a sneaking suspicion that this was just Celestia's way of finding friends for Blueblood, seeing as he seemed to have none of his own. In fact, despite the fact that she and her friends spent plenty of time in Canterlot, Twilight very rarely saw or heard from the Prince while she was there. In fact, even on occasions that a Prince ought to be present for, such as her coronation as a Princess, he was mysteriously absent. After all, it shouldn't be difficult for him to attend events in Canterlot, seeing how he lived in the palace.

Now Twilight tried to push those thoughts from her head as she stood outside a heavy, oak wood door adorned with a gold and silver etching of the Prince's cutie mark. Giving a heavy gulp, Twilight reached out, gently rapping on the door with the back of her hoof.

No response.

She frowned, knocking again, this time a bit harder.

Silence.

Twilight tapped her hooves impatiently for a moment, before pounding a hoof against the wood repeatedly.

 **BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!**

Suddenly there came a muffled groan from behind the door. So somepony was in there, just refusing to answer.

"Hello?" Twilight said, pressing an ear to the door so she could better hear what went on behind it. "Prince Blueblood? Its me, Twilight Sparkle. Celestia sent me to-"

 _"Go away!"_

Twilight paused as she was rather rudely cut off from behind the door. She mentally bit her tongue to keep from shouting. So far, all the stories she had heard were proving very, very accurate.

"...As I was saying, Celestia sent me here to-"

 _"Don't care. Please see yourself out."_

"She sent me to-"

 _"Goodbye."_

"She-"

 _"I said, goodbye, madame!"_

Twilight huffed, resisting the urge to break his door down with a blast of magic. She tensed her muscles, gritting her teeth and letting out an audible groan of disgust as she let her body slump against the wall opposite the door. She rubbed her temples with her hooves, closing her eyes and trying to mentally calm herself. She just needed to think of this as a particularly nasty school assignment; something she would not enjoy, but had to do nonetheless, since she would be graded on it. Celestia might not be grading her on friendship, but still, letting Celestia down was not an option for Twilight. She took a deep breath, rising to her hooves again and knocking once more.

It was time for some tough love.

 _"I thought I said-_

"Alright, listen up Blueblood!" Twilight spoke, practically shouting at the door. "Celestia sent me here to talk to you, whether you want to or not! Now you're going to open this door right this second, and that's an order!"

There was a moment of silence, before a response came from Blueblood's room.

 _"It's unlocked you know."_

Curiously, the Princess put a hoof on the handle, and felt it give as she pushed down on it. Now she was getting somewhere with this. The door swung open into a rather dimly lit room, and Twilight squinted to see into it. It didn't seem to be a bedroom, but was arranged more like an office, with the Prince himself seated behind an ornately carved wooden desk. The floor was carpeted with a soft, plush-feeling navy blue rug, emblazoned in the center with another image of the Prince's cutie mark. The wall opposite her was lined from floor to ceiling by a rather large bookshelf, which was neatly arranged with what appeared to be several multi-volume sets of leather bound tomes. Amid the books were several little trinkets and baubles, most of which appeared to be of foreign origin, including a large curved sword with a gemstone laden handle. There were as well a few small chests and cabinets scattered throughout the room, yet Twilight's eyes were mainly affixed on the bookshelf.

"Have you read all of those?" Twilight mused as she took a few steps into the room.

"Hmm?" Blueblood followed her gaze to the shelf, before returning to scrutinize Twilight once more. "Oh those? Mainly reference guides and such. They're not much for reading."

The Prince leaned back in his seat, hooves neatly folded in his lap. He certainly looked the part of an Equestrian Prince, with his mane perfectly coiffed and his coat neatly brushed. His hooves seemed to have been manicured recently, and a skilled eye might have noticed a clear coat of polish on both hooves. He was dressed in his finest clothing, with full suit jacket and tie, despite the fact that he was alone on a Saturday afternoon.

"So, it seems my aunt has arranged for you to come speak with me." He said, sounding more than a bit annoyed. "Let me guess, she's sent you to scold me for my behavior? Or have you perhaps taken that task up willingly?"

"What? No not at all. She just sent me to... you know, talk."

"Oh I see. She thinks I've grown out of touch with the peasantry and so she sent a commoner to my office to make smalltalk."

"Commoner?" Twilight raised an eyebrow in shock. "In case you couldn't tell by the wings, I'm not a commoner. I happen to be _Princess_ Twilight Sparkle."

"Yes, I know who you are. The famed Princess Twilight Sparkle, born to parents Twilight Velvet and Night Light and younger sibling to Shining Armor. Attended Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns graduating head of her class and going on to serve under Princess Celestia herself. Defeated Nightmare Moon, Discord, and others before being elevated to the position of 'Princess'." Blueblood replied with a contemptuous snort. "Lets not kid ourselves here, you're a wizard, not a Princess."

Twilight stood, mouth agape. The stories certainly hadn't prepared her for something like this.

"If you want to leave, the door is right there." The Prince said, smirking and gesturing with his hoof.

Twilight suddenly realized why Celestia had asked her to talk with the Prince. He was, to put it bluntly, spoiled, rude, and full of himself, but perhaps that's why Celestia had sent her. She was the Princess of friendship after all, and if anypony could make a friend out of such a rotten Prince, it would have to be her. Besides, with an attitude like that, Blueblood probably didn't have any friends to speak of. Now it was up to Twilight to be his first.

"Why me?" She whispered under her breath as she let out a deep sigh. "Look Blueblood, if you want me to leave, you'll have to try harder than that. Celestia sent me here because she thinks you need a friend, and judging by your attitude, I can see why. So unless Celestia tells me I don't have to, I'm going to stick to you like glue."

Twilight returned the Prince's cocky smirk with on of her own.

"If I have to be miserable, then so do you."

Blueblood's eyes widened ever so slightly at those words. Although she wasn't sure, Twilight was almost certain she saw him swallow a lump in his throat before speaking again.

"If what you wish is to spend more time with me, then I'd be delighted to oblige, oh great and mighty Princess of friendship." The stallion said, his voice dripping with spite. "Perhaps you'll even teach me a lesson or two about friendship as we frolic together through fields of posies, oh wouldn't that be just delightful."

Blueblood rose from his seat, stretching his back as he did so.

"Ha ha. Very funny." Twilight rolled her eyes. "Friendship isn't all flowers and giggles Blueblood. It takes some real work for it to-"

As Twilight spoke, she noticed that the friend she was supposed to be making was headed for the door. He paused before exiting, calling to her over his shoulder.

"If I have to listen to you drone about friendship, I'd at least like to be slightly buzzed while doing so. I'm going to fetch a glass of wine." Blueblood said, stepping out of the room.

Twilight growled as she broke into a trot to catch up with him. As she fell into line beside the Prince, she did her best to feign a smile.

"So," She said, trying to find some way to strike up a halfway decent conversation. "Anything new going on lately?"

"The Diamond Dogs are due to convene to decide on a new chieftain." Blueblood replied, barely even acknowledging her presence. "The Griffon Kingdom of Kleinkrieg is in turmoil due to new taxes on imports, and Saddle Arabia has been steadily raising the price of silk. Or did you mean something new in my life? In that case, no. It's been much of the same."

"You certainly seem very up to date on your world news." Twilight commented as the two ponies rounded a corner and began to descend down a spiral staircase.

"I should hope so. What sort of ambassador would I be if I didn't?"

"Wait, you're an ambassador?" Twilight raised an eyebrow.

"You sound surprised."

"To be honest, I am. I never would have guessed you were in the business of diplomacy."

"My cutie mark is a compass rose. What else could that possibly signify?"

Twilight thought for a moment, placing a hoof on her chin.

"A cartographer perhaps?"

"I would assume a cartographer would have an actual map rather than a compass, or maybe something more along the lines of a globe or... "Blueblood's voice halted, as though he had caught himself just before starting to ramble. "I'm sure you know what I mean."

As they reached the base of the staircase, they stood before a very weathered and faded door. The Prince produced a small silver key from his suit pocket, unlocking the door. It opened with a rather foreboding creak, and Twilight coughed on a rather musty odor the seemed to stem from within. Blueblood however, seemed entirely unphased by the odd smell and ventured forth into the room. Inside were countless wooden racks holding numerous bottles of wine, all of which seemed to be incredibly old. Twilight could have sworn that one faded label contained a date older than three hundred years. Blueblood trod carefully over the cobblestone floor, selecting a slightly less aged wine.

"Ah, pinot noir, 1895." He mused, rummaging through one of the cabinets for a glass. "A good year for this particular blend. Very strong taste, quite complex."

He uncorked the bottle, pouring himself a glass and taking a sip. For the first time all day, Twilight saw Blueblood smile. Not a cocky smirk or even a smug grin, but a genuine smile. Of course, it faded as soon as he turned back to face her, but still. She couldn't help but feel that some slight progress had been made. Soon they had exited the wine cellar and were on their way back up the staircase.

"Now where was I?" Blueblood said, levitating his wine glass at his side. "Oh yes, the matters of diplomacy. I mostly serve as an executive to represent Equestria's wishes abroad, whether that be to the Griffons, or the Saddle Arabians, or across the sea to Zebrica."

"Really? The pony with a fear of dirt regularly goes to Zebrica?" Twilight suppressed a giggle at the thought.

"I never said I enjoyed my line of work." The Prince shot her a glare as he spoke.

Twilight opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by a sudden loud noise from down the hall. It sounded like glass shattering. Blueblood jumped slightly at the sound, nearly spilling his wine on the carpet.

"What in Celestia's name was that?" Twilight quickened her pace through the hall, heading towards the source of the ruckus, the Prince's office. Blueblood trotted along beside her, just as she pushed open the door to his room. The window behind his desk had been shattered, shards of glass littering the floor amid stacks of books that had been swept off the shelves. Countless little treasures had been knocked to the carpet, some of which had broken on impact. Blueblood gasped, stepping into the room almost as if in shock.

"I've... I've been robbed!" He said, his eyes wide as saucers as he surveyed the room. "What sort of thieving little bastard..."

He paused, looking over the bits and pieces that had fallen from his shelf. There were still numerous valuables among the fallen objects. A gold plated mask from Zebrica, a collection of rings from one of the Griffon Kingdoms, and a box of gems from the Diamond Dogs all lay on the floor amid bits of glass and books. If they had been here for money, why had they not taken those. Only one thing seemed to be missing, and that was the scimitar he had been gifted on his first trip into Saddle Arabia.

"They took my sword." He practically growled as he stared down at the spot where it had once been, just before turning suddenly to Twilight. "You! You're a spellcaster! Can't you cast some sort of... tracking spell or something?"

Twilight blinked a few times, snapping back in as Blueblood spoke to her.

"Er... I could, if we still had it. See a tracking spell needs to-"

"Damn it!" Blueblood exclaimed, falling backwards into his chair with a muffled thump. "That sword was given to me by the Caliph himself. Its a one of a kind weapon given as part of our first peace treaty between our two nations. Ugh. It took almost a year of negotiation to secure that treaty and-"

Twilight began to filter out Blueblood's speech at this point. Something about trades and treaties and the like. On the one hoof, she was a bit impressed to find that Blueblood actually had a job to do. On the other, he was still the same Blueblood regardless, and that Blueblood was annoying! She took a step forward, gently nudging one of the fallen books with her hoof. There was something beneath it. She lit up her horn with a pale purple glow, lifting the tome to reveal a small brown and white feather beneath it. She levitated this as well, looking it over.

"Blueblood, Blueblood shut up a second and let me talk!" Twilight said, cutting off his story. He gave her a glare, which softened as soon as he saw the feather she held.

"A feather? Where did you find that?"

"It was on the floor under one of your books. I might not be able to track the sword, but I can track whoever this feather came from, and that means-"

"It means we can find my thief."

"Right." Twilight nodded. "But, if I help you with this, you need to help me with something."

"You want to wheel and deal with Equestria's prime ambassador?" Blueblood smirked. "Let's hear your offer then."

"I help you get this sword back, and you get Celestia to let me off the hook with you."

"You mean I not only get my sword back, but I get to be rid of you as well? Its a winning situation all around for me." The prince extended a hoof to shake. "You have a deal."

Twilight clasped hooves with him, giving a firm shake.

"Deal."


	2. Of King and Cult

It seemed that the sword had been taken further than Twilight initially thought. The tracking spell lead her through the halls of Canterlot, out the main gate, and yet continued to grow further away. Who or whatever stole this blade was fast. Of course, Twilight might have been able to catch them if she hadn't been burdened with the company of a certain somepony. Despite the fact that it was his property they were chasing, Blueblood seemed to be in no hurry to contribute anything to the mission at hand. Instead, he seemed perfectly content to simply trot alongside her occasionally complaining about how far they had to walk or lamenting the fact that he might have to mingle with the "common rabble" as he put it.

Twilight's tracking spell on the scimitar finally showed the sword settling down into a location. Seemed it was in the Everfree Forest just outside of Ponyville. And so the Prince and Princess boarded the next train bound for Ponyville, with Blueblood reserving the seats on either side of him to keep the more unsavory ponies at a distance. Twilight rolled her eyes and plopped down into a seat across from him, whispering a silent prayer that he could keep himself behaved for a train ride. Celestia knows what could happen if he made a scene in such a cramped area. Though, she supposed if such a thing were to happen, at the very least she would get to watch. For his part however, Blueblood kept relatively calm about the situation. Sure he would occasionally mutter under his breath or growl at a passenger threatening to take one of his three seats, but other than that he kept peaceful, and even more surprising, he kept quiet.

Soon, with a squeal of metal on metal, the train pulled into Ponyville station. Everypony began to file off, scattering as they exited the station. Slowly, Blueblood rose from his seat, or rather _seats_ , and let out a quiet yawn as he stretched his limbs.

"Well then, where are we off to now?" He said, adjusting his jacket and tie. "After all, the sun is going down, and I'd prefer to be back in Canterlot before it gets too late."

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news here, but we've still got a ways to go." Twilight replied, falling into step as she and Blueblood exited the train. "It looks like whoever took your sword has settled down in the Everfree Forest."

Blueblood grimaced at her words.

"Of all the places they could flee, they fled to the muddy, abhorrent cesspit that is the Everfree." He shook his head as they walked. "Something about this just doesn't add up. They only stole the sword, nothing else it seemed. If they were looking for a valuable treasure, I had plenty of things worth more than that scimitar. And furthermore, why the Everfree? It would have made more sense to try and sell the blade as soon as possible, rather than hang on to it. Perhaps taking it to a pawn shop would have been more prudent. It seems that whoever stole this sword was after the sword itself."

"Well, you seemed to have a pretty strong attachment to it." Twilight replied. "Maybe its somepony holding it for a ransom of sorts? Or maybe they just wanted to get revenge on you for something? Do you have any enemies who might want to get you back?"

"The question is not who has a motive, its who doesn't have a motive." Blueblood chuckled slightly. "Believe me, I've pissed off everypony in Canterlot at least once, and those outside the city haven't fared much better."

"I can think of at least one pony like that... " Twilight muttered.

"Oh? Who's that?"

"Rarity."

"Sorry... Who?"

"Rarity, you know, the one who you brushed off at the Gala?"

"I brush off ponies every year at the Gala, usually more than one per night."

"Unicorn, purple mane, white coat?" Twilight said, still not eliciting a response. "The one who got cake all over you?"

The Prince paused for a moment, the nodded.

"Ah yes, I remember the one now. Quite a rude little mare wasn't she? Refused to hold open doors, expected me to pay for my own meals, and ended the evening by getting cake all over me." He shuddered slightly at the memory. "Ugh. It took three baths to get all the frosting out of my mane. Yet still, it wasn't the worst gala I've been to, so at least there's that."

Twilight sighed. It seemed that the hate between the two of them was one sided, though she couldn't really blame Rarity for holding a grudge. Was this just how Blueblood treated everypony? Or did he have a select few whom he at least treated slightly better than dirt? Twilight hoped for the latter, seeing that she still had at least the rest of the day to spend with him.

"Wait a second." Twilight quirked an eyebrow. "You've been to a worse gala that that one? The one where you ended up wearing the cake, animals took over the ballroom, and half the columns in the palace got knocked down? What could possibly be worse than that?"

"Two words. Drunk. Griffons. We hosted a get together with some visiting representatives from the Kingdom of Schwarzkamf, and made the mistake of serving alcohol. One thing lead to another, and soon the ballroom had become a battlefield, with guards trying to subdue a group of very strong, very angry, and very intoxicated Griffons. It was quite a sight for sure, but still, ponies ended up with broken bones and more than a few bruises, and the Griffons were expelled from Equestria the next morning. Not exactly a fun affair for any involved."

"That sounds... Yeah that sounds pretty bad." Twilight caught herself cringing at the thought.

Blueblood slowed to a halt as he and Twilight reached the edge of Ponyville. He stood, leering at the forest as if he hoped the branches ahead of him would simply vanish if he glared hard enough at them. The sun had already begun to sink behind the horizon, casting the sky in a brilliant mixture of reds and oranges that shone through the bramble of brush and bark that lay ahead. Blueblood sighed softly.

"Do I really have to follow you in there?" He said, his voice sounding almost piteous.

"Yes." Twilight replied. "You want that sword back, you've got to come with me and get it. That's how friendship works. Its give and take."

"You and I are not friends." Blueblood said with a bit of indignation. "We are partners brought together by unfortunate circumstance. Believe me, as soon as we get back my scimitar, I'll go straight to Celestia and hopefully the two of us will never need to speak again. Personally, I think that's reason enough for me to press on, if only to get all of this over with quicker."

Blueblood set his face, gave his mane a confident toss, and took a step forward into the shadows of the forest. After that one step, he froze where he stood. His eyes glanced down, looking at the mud puddle he had just stepped in. He tore his hoof back as though he had touched a white hot ember, letting out a rather unflattering shriek as he did so. He covered his mouth, trying to stifle his own scream. Twilight fought to keep from bursting into a fit of laughter at the sight, only just barely containing herself.

"Er... " Blueblood stammered, trying to give her a nervous smile. "Après vous."

* * *

"We really should have brought a navigator." Blueblood whined, his steps crisscrossing over themselves as he tried to avoid stepping in any muck in his path.

"For the third time, I know where I'm going Blueblood." Twilight replied with an exasperated sigh. "Lets not forget that I'm the one who has the tracking spell."

"You may have the tracking spell, but the question is if you have a sense of direction."

"I do so have a sense of direction!"

"Well, we've been wandering in the forest for close to an hour now, and we seem to be no closer to finding my sword."

"Maybe it wouldn't have taken so long if you didn't insist on walking around every single speck of dirt you see."

"I just had these hooves manicured! I'm not going to ruin them that quickly!"

"Look, do you want the sword, or do you want to keep your perfectly buffed hooves?"

"I don't see why I can't have both."

Twilight huffed, hooves going to her temples in frustration.

"There's just no arguing with you is there? Everypony just bends over backwards to accommodate your every whim, don't they? And if you don't get what you want, then you whine and cry to your aunt to get you w-" Twilight suddenly stopped. They were close. She trotted ahead, pushing aside a tangle of branches to gaze out into a clearing in the woods. Amid a spacious field stood a group of ponies, clad from head to toe in bright yellow robes. At least, Twilight thought they were ponies. The robes obscured the bodies, and white, featureless masks obscured the faces. They were joined together in a loose circle, muttering quietly. She froze dead in her tracks. Something about these ponies just felt... off somehow.

"I'm sorry, were you done verbally assaulting me? Or have you-" Blueblood was silenced as Twilight clapped a hoof over his mouth, pointing to the robed figures in the clearing. The Prince shoved her hoof away, sinking down to peer through the hole she had made in the bramble. Into the center of the group walked another figure, still robed but unmasked. Even from this distance Blueblood could tell it was a griffon. Not just any griffon however, this was a griffon wearing a jeweled scimitar at his hip. The Prince practically growled as he saw that sword. He leaned forward ever so slightly, only for Twilight to yank him backwards.

The griffon unsheathed the sword, removing a flask from within the folds of his robe. He poured the contents onto the blade, as a black, oily substance flowed from the bottle. He gave the scimitar a flourish, splattering the excess liquid on the grass before hoisting the blade above his head.

 **"Iä! Hastur cf'ayak'vulgtmm, vugtlagln vulgtmm!"** The others shouted, almost in perfect unison. **"Iä! Hastur cf'ayak'vulgtmm, vugtlagln vulgtmm!"**

The group of ponies surrounding the griffon began to chant, their voices deep and guttural as they repeated the phrase again and again. Twilight covered her ears at the noise. It sounded like the grinding of metal on stone. She winced every time they opened their mouths, hoping it would be the last. Blueblood seemed a bit less affected by their words, yet his ears twitched at every syllable the robed ponies shouted.

Just as suddenly as it had started, the chanting ceased.

"Brothers," The griffon said, lowering the blade. "Tonight is the night that all our work shall finally pay off. We have worked in the shadows for years now, waiting for our moment to rise, and now our time has come. Brother Stone Steps has graciously accepted the call. Brother Stone, please step forward."

One of the ponies stepped out of line. The griffon turned to face him, then continued.

"Have you seen the Yellow Sign, brother?"

"I have seen the sign, brother. I have seen the sign, and the king, and his city."

"Are you prepared for what you must do?"

"My life is mine to give, and I give freely."

The pony knelt down on the grass, and the griffon once again raised the sword aloft, his voice booming amid the empty clearing.

"Iä! Hastur cf'ayak'vulgtmm, vugtlagln vulgtmm! I powerfully call upon ye and stir ye up O ye mighty spirits that dwelleth in the Great Abyss. In the dread and potent name of Azathoth come ye forth and give power unto this blade fashioned in accordance to ancient Lore. In the Name of Great and Mighty Yog-Sothoth and in the invincible sign of Voor..." At this he passed his hand over his chest, holding up his two outermost claws. "Give power! Give power! Give power!"

Twilight's eyes widened with shock as he slashed the blade across the throat of his comrade, cleanly cutting through it. There was a loud gurgling as the once yellow fabric of the pony's robe began to run red as blood dribbled from his wound. Twilight gasped, clasping a hoof over her mouth. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, not in the slightest. She hadn't considered for a moment that somepony would die tonight. Only now did the severity of the situation begin to dawn on her. She wanted to look away, to try and blot the images from her mind, yet she couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene. Terror and curiosity had mingled in her mind, and ultimately curiosity was a more powerful force. Blueblood too looked disgusted by what he saw, yet also oddly fixated. He swallowed hard, his heartbeat practically audible through his chest.

"In the names of Azathoth, and of Yog-Sothoth, and of their servant Nyarlathotep, and the invincible sign of Voor, I command you! Accept our offering, King in Yellow, and open to us the path to enlightenment!"

"What do we do?" Blueblood whispered, his eyes wide as saucers. "I thought we were hunting thieves, not madponies."

"Well we can't just sit here and do nothing!" Twilight replied, rising to her hooves.

"What are you doing! You can't go out-"

 **"Hey!"** Twilight shouted, taking a firm step into the clearing. "I don't know who you ponies are, or what you're doing here, but I'm putting a stop to it!"

There was a moment of silence, before the cultists suddenly turned on Twilight, with the griffon leading the charge. He rushed towards her, brandishing his stolen sword. Twilight stood her ground, her horn igniting as she blasted the blade from her enemies claw with a concentrated beam of magic. She prepared to swing at him with her hoof, just as she was grabbed from behind by one of the masked ponies. She thrashed in his grip, trying desperately to break free, but to no avail.

"Blueblood help me!" She yelled, kicking her legs in a vain attempt to break the vice-like grip of her foe. "If you don't get out here then so help me I'll-"

Twilight was interrupted by a loud **THWACK** from behind her, as her assailant slumped to the ground. Blueblood stood behind her now, looking positively mortified.

"I hope you're happy. I chipped a hoof for this."

"Priorities Blueblood! We've got bigger problems here!" Twilight said as she used her magic to hurl a knife wielding cultist across the field. She turned, sending out another bolt of mystic energy to the chest of another pony, dropping him almost instantly. Blueblood meanwhile, was racing across the field to retrieve the sword he had come here for. He put a hoof on it, only for the griffon to lunge for him, beak and claws bared. The Prince toppled over backwards, the sword skittering from his grasp as his enemy pinned him to the ground. Blueblood kicked and shoved, trying to keep the griffon's claws from slashing his neck. Blueblood's horn glowed a pale white as his magic took hold of the scimitar just beyond his reach, With all his might, he swung for the griffon's head... and managed to hit him with the hilt of the sword. Not exactly his intention, but it worked. Blueblood rolled out from beneath the now unconscious griffon, brushing himself off and trying desperately to fix his mane.

Twilight on the other hand was facing one final cultist, apparently a unicorn, based on the fact that it seemed capable of magic. She let loose a bolt of purple energy, which her enemy deflected with a well placed shield. The unicorn returned the favor with a gout of arcane fire. Seeing an opportunity, Twilight lit up her horn, vanishing in the blink of an eye. Before her adversary could even react, Twilight appeared beside her, delivering a swift blow with her hoof and sending the cultist sprawling. With that taken care of, Twilight made her way over to Blueblood, who was frantically trying to brush the dirt from his good jacket.

"Are you alright?" She said, looking him over. "No broken bones, no cuts or bruises I should worry about?"

"No, but I've chipped a hoof, gotten dirt on my coat, and positively ruined my mane." Blueblood replied, still making a valiant effort to keep himself looking as prim and proper as he could.

"You're fine. After what we just saw, I'd say a chipped hoof is the least of our worries." Twilight turned to the pony the cultists had slain, who still remained on his knees, stock still and upright. She recalled reading in her biology textbooks that upon death, a ponies muscles should cease to function. If that were the case, then how was this pony still on its knees? Shouldn't it have toppled over, or at least slumped to the ground? She reached out a hoof, tapping the mask of the corpse ever so slightly. She jumped back with a yelp as the body instantly dissolved into dust, as though years of decay had suddenly caught up with it. Where the corpse had once sat was now a black outline. At least a black outline seemed the best way to describe it. It was like a shadow, yet it seemed to exist in three dimensions rather than two. A pure black, pony shaped void now hovered in mid air where the cultist had died.

Blueblood had just retrieved his sword, his nostrils flaring as he returned it to its sheath. Whatever they had poured on his blade reeked like an open grave, and he practically gagged on the foul stench. As he turned, he froze staring at the black figure.

"What in Celestia's name is that thing?"

"Honestly, I have no idea." Twilight mused, reaching out a hoof to touch it. As her hoof made contact, it seemed to sink within the figure, going beyond it. Her eyes grew wide as she pulled her hoof out, staring at it. It didn't hurt, and her hoof certainly seemed fine...

"Don't touch it!" Blueblood shouted. "We don't know what this thing is, and judging by the fact that somepony just died to bring it about, I don't think we ought to be messing with it! We got my sword, now lets just get out of here."

"Blueblood, this is magic the likes of which I've never even heard of! I just want to figure out what this... thing here does. That's it."

"Fine. But if you die, don't say I didn't warn you."

Twilight again reached her hoof into the shadow. Then she placed another hoof in. Nothing seemed to be going wrong as of yet, so she decided to take a leap of faith, and stuck her head through the outline. She remained within it for just a moment, before pulling her head out and turning to the Prince.

"Blueblood, you gotta see this." Twilight said, just before taking a full step into the void.

Blueblood sat there for a moment in stunned silence. This was incredibly dangerous. They come across a chanting cult of ponies who speak of signs and kings, and who shriek in indecipherable tongues, and now they're playing with their magic? It seemed an apt way to get oneself killed. Yet deep within him, there was a nagging feeling. He felt that he had to see, or that his curiosity would never be sated. So with a deep breath, he swallowed his fear and stepped forth into the blackness.

There, on the other side, was everything Blueblood did not, and was never meant to know.


	3. Of Black Stars and Bright Skies

Blueblood's hooves touched down on the ground on the opposite side of the shadow figure. At least, he thought it was the ground. His head was swimming after passing through what he could only assume was a portal of some sort, and he felt a bit of nausea creeping up on him. The heavy, harsh scent that hung in the air certainly wasn't helping matters. It wasn't a foul smell by any means, but it was acrid enough to curl his nostrils a bit. It reminded him a bit of industrial cleaner, or bleach; very strong and acidic smelling. He coughed a bit at the odor, still trying to suppress his gag reflex. As his head relaxed however, he finally got to take a good look around himself.

He stood on solid earth, or at least he assumed this was what the earth was like here. It was smooth, pristine looking, with a texture almost like glass or fine crystal. His hooves nearly slipped a few times as he tried to take a step on it. Yet despite its glass-like structure, it was full of pockmarks and chips, as though something had battered it over the years. In addition to this, deep gashes had been formed in its surface, each with polished sides, as though they had been etched by the hooves of a master jeweler. Other sections however, looked closer to ocean waves, with a curled, scalloped texture. Something deep below Blueblood seemed to be giving of a faint light, causing the entire earth surrounding him to glow with a faint yellowish hue.

The crystalline ground sloped gently downwards to the edge of what the Prince could only describe as a sea, or vast lake. However, it was not filled with water, but instead by swirling white fluff. It looked almost like an ocean of clouds, with mist hanging thickly over the surface. Yet despite looking like cloud, the stuff still behaved like liquid water, rolling and frothing and crashing on the shore in waves. Amid the clouds however, was something big and red. It looked almost like a ball of fire, and Blueblood needed to squint to get a good look at it. It didn't appear to float upon the lake, but rather to be slowly sinking amid the choppy waves of vapor. Suddenly, Blueblood realized what this strange red orb must be. _It was a star._ He guessed it must have been an old one, based on how little light and heat it gave off. Not that the area needed lighting.

The sky was blazing bright, almost searing if one looked at it for too long. Unlike the sky that Blueblood had grown accustomed to, this one was like a kaleidoscope of constantly shifting colors, from blue to red to pink to green to colors that the Prince simply had no words for, and doubted any existed. It was like a rainbow, if the visible light spectrum stretched to infinity. All through out this strange, sickeningly vibrant palette of the heavens were small, twinkling specks of pure black. Blueblood guessed these must have been stars as well, though of what sort he had no idea. They whirled and spun throughout the sky, rotating so quickly that they at times appeared as streaks of black against a multicolored backdrop. In addition to these stars were two moons, or at least what appeared from here to be moons. Unlike the rapidly spinning stars however, these seemed to remain in place. Stock still amid a sea of violent motion.

On the distant shore of the cloud lake stood the ghostly silhouette of a city. It seemed relatively normal at this distance, save for the fact that its tallest tower seemed to be obscured by one of the moons. Or was it? The moon seemed to be both in front of and behind the tower, or perhaps occupying the same space as it. Just trying to comprehend the spatial arrangement of this singular piece was giving Blueblood a headache. Or perhaps that was from the ceaseless pounding in his ears. It sounded like a drumbeat, yet at the same time like a voice.

 **"Car-Co-Sa. Car-Co-Sa. Car-Co-Sa."**

Blueblood guessed that Carcosa must have been the name of the city. The city itself, save for the abnormality of the moon and the tower, seemed to be otherwise normal. It was composed of numerous black spires jutting out from the glassy earth, each one piercing the whirling heavens with its blackness. It seemed to be entirely composed of these jagged spikes, looking at this distance like the shadow of a pincushion, save for the few chinks of light that seemed to suggest slits or windows in the buildings.

Blueblood stood there in silence for what felt like an eternity, just trying to take everything in. Finally, after several minutes of stunned silence, he managed to whisper.

"What... What in Celestia's name is this place?" He said, eyes darting about rapidly. "You have experience with magic and strange spells and such, do you recognize this place?"

Twilight shook her head.

"I've done a lot of spells, and seen a lot of weird stuff, but this really takes the cake." Twilight gazed out over the glaring vista, cupping a hoof over her eyes to block out some of the light. "Its like we stepped into another world, maybe even another dimension."

"Well, whatever it is, we're leaving." Blueblood said, arms folded over his chest.

"Oh come on!" Twilight pleaded. "You don't have an adventurous bone in your body, do you?"

"I have plenty of adventurous bones, but very few of them want to go adventuring here. We have no idea where we are, or what this place is, or if anything even lives here. It could be infested with razor toothed, pony eating rats for all we know."

"That's exactly why we need to explore it Blueblood! We're the first ponies ever to enter this place. Its a whole new world full of new things just waiting to be uncovered! Doesn't that excite you just a little bit?"

"Whatever happened to 'lets get this whole friendship thing over with?' " Blueblood quirked an eyebrow at her.

"We will. We're not going to stay here long. I just want to go and check out that city on the other shore. Carcosa, I believe its called." Twilight put on her best pouty face as she looked at the Prince. "C'mon Blueblood. Who knows, maybe it'll be fun."

Blueblood took a deep breath, then let it out with a huff.

"Alright fine. Lets go and explore the creepy city of death."

"Carcosa. Its called Carcosa."

"Whatever. It beats being stuck in an office all day anyways."

The Prince and Princess began to walk around the edge of the wispy cloud lake, the sound of their hooves clip-clopping on the glass earth below echoing through the seemingly endless expanse. The whole place felt so bleak. There was no sound, not from the rolling cloud sea, nor from the star which floated within it. There was an uneasy silence that seemed to hang in the air, which only grew more and more palpable the closer they moved to Carcosa. Twilight also couldn't help but note the stillness in the air as they walked. Despite the fact that the clouds swirled about, there was no wind. In fact, the air felt stagnant and stale, and the heavy chemical odor that hung in it didn't help matters. Coupled with the intense light from above, Twilight couldn't help but be reminded of a hospital room.

Despite the fact that the city appeared to be nearly on the other horizon, they were practically at its gates within minutes of walking. The black spires towered over them, sticking into the sky like the spears of an advancing army. As they drew nearer and nearer to the city, the sky above began to darken. The sky that had once been filled with blindingly indescribable color soon became a sheet of pure blackness that stretched as far as the eye could see. The stars were no longer visible, but the moons certainly were. Now it was the moons which burned with a plethora of different hues and shades, as well as the moons which circled rapidly through the blackness. It was as though the city was somehow warping the world around it, shifting its rules and reversing them for its own purposes.

With their main source of light extinguished, Blueblood and Twilight both lit up their horns, casting dim white and purple glows over the area. They had entered the city of spires, and things only grew stranger from there. The pillars themselves didn't appear to be cylindrical, as they had initially thought, but were closer to being octagonal in shape. They seemed to have each been cut from a single piece of smooth black material, and seemed to be blurry, as if in constant motion.

"Look at these buildings." Blueblood said, running a hoof over the smooth side of one of the pillars. "It feels like bone."

Twilight examined the tower as well, hoof on her chin.

"Its like ivory." She gently tapped on the tower, the sound visibly reverberating through the structure. "This place is so strange."

"It just doesn't make sense." Blueblood turned his gaze from the tower to the city. "Where would they get anything resembling ivory around here? Everything for miles around is just barren. Its not like it just appeared out of thin... "

The Prince's eyes caught a glimpse of movement in the shadows of the streets. He squinted, trying to brighten his horn as he peered into the darkness. The light glinted off of a pair of eyes, which stared back at him. Blueblood took a step backwards, letting out a yelp as the beast in the blackness lurched toward him. Twilight turned at the noise to see what she could really only describe as a _thing_ limply flopping after Blueblood. It was nearly as large as she was, and it had thin grey tufts of fur covering an almost skeletal body, from which sprang two pairs of glassy, membranous wings. From its face jutted a conical beak, like that of a raven or crow, yet it had no eyes. In its place were two pairs of antennae that twitched and jerked about spastically. It propelled itself along with webbed talons, awkwardly flailing its body as it came. Its beak opened, and it emitted a noise somewhat like the croaking of a frog, the cackling of a crow, and the shrieking of an equine being. Blueblood fell over backwards, trying desperately to scoot himself back before the strange beast could catch up to him.

Twilight quickly stepped between him and the creature, her horn lighting up with a brilliant purple glow as she gave the foul being a telepathic shove. The beast fell over on its back, writhing about and uselessly flailing its six legs. By now Blueblood had clamored to his hooves, drawing his sword from its sheath. With a shout and a flourish, he slashed the blade across the creature's exposed belly, which elicited a much louder shriek from the eyeless demon. This time the sound was enough to make both Blueblood and Twilight pause to cover their ears as they were assailed by the horrible noise. With a moment of respite, the beast was able to flip itself over, and with a flap of its massive wings, took off into the dark sky. Twilight glanced up after it, watching as it soared higher and higher, just before a small group of those same beings swooped in, ripping it to shreds with beak and talon. It fell upon the glassy earth, as the others too fell upon it, their claws tearing off bits of flesh before crunching it between their beaks and swallowing it with a backwards tilt of their heads. Before either Prince or Princess could react to the sight, they simply vanished, appearing to blur before their very eyes before fading entirely from sight.

"It... It didn't even bleed." Blueblood said, trembling. "I cut it open, but there was no blood. Just chitinous innards squirming. Celestia's sake... What was that thing?"

"I... I don't know. I just don't know." Twilight stammered, trying to find her tongue. She leaned back against a nearby tower wall, trying to collect herself. Unfortunately, there was no time for such things. Twilight felt a sudden, powerful force tug her backwards, and she tumbled down through what had seemed to be a solid wall. She screamed as she fell downwards through inky blackness, futilely flapping her wings to slow her descent. She hit ground with a rather ungraceful thump, rolling to her side as she hissed between her teeth at the pain. Above her, perhaps eight feet or so up, she could see Blueblood peering down into the hole she had fallen into.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Twilight brushed herself off as she rose to her hooves, gently shaking the dust from her coat. "A few bumps and bruises, but nothing I can't handle."

"Celestia and Luna both, not even the architecture here makes any damn sense!" Blueblood said from above.

"Look, just jump down here and I'll catch you."

"No way. You fly up here, and lets leave."

"I'm already in here, so we might as well check it out." Twilight said with a shrug.

"Oh no. You've had your fun. You've already watched those...things appear and attack us. I'm putting my hoof down on this. We're leaving."

"Well right now, you're up where those things were." Twilight smirked slightly. "So right now, you're the one in danger, not me."

She couldn't see from there, but Twilight was sure that his eyes had just grown about an inch wider.

"C'mon. Just jump."

Blueblood sucked in his breath, before taking a leap of faith down into the black cavern below. Although he only fell for a few seconds, it felt to him like minutes of time passed before he landed, toppling Twilight as he crashed into her. They both hit the floor, with Blueblood rolling off of her as he landed.

"Ugh... I thought you said you were going to catch me?" He said, brushing the dust from his coat and tossing his mane.

"I didn't expect you to be so heavy!"

Blueblood let out a soft harumph, turning his nose up at her comment. Twilight lit up her horn, slowly but surely walking deeper into the corridor. In the dim light, it seemed that whatever they had landed in was an utterly barren room. However, as they walked, the ceilings began to grow higher and higher, and soon what had started as an 8 foot tall chamber soon stretched to what Twilight estimated to be about 45 feet. It was massive, almost vault-like. Their hoofbeats could be heard, yet they did not echo. It was as though these catacombs swallowed up the sound.

Suddenly, both ponies stood stock still.

Just in front of them, illuminated by the dim glow of their horns, was a massive stone door. It stretched from floor to ceiling, and was carved with hundreds of thousands of strange squiggles and runic shapes, each one seeming to belong to some incomprehensible alien language. Twilight reached out a hoof, tapping the door with her hoof. There was a massive grinding, as though a mountain were being bored to bits just in front of them, as the slab floated diagonally upwards, vanishing from their sight. Ahead of them, deep within the inky blackness of the vault, was a bright greenish light.

"Après vous." Blueblood muttered, motioning with his hoof.

With that, Twilight took her first step into the crypt.


	4. Of Myths and Masks

The light in the distance was a fire. A fire that burned bright green, seated in a brazier of a copper colored metal. Perhaps burned was the wrong word, as the fire was completely still, as though it had been frozen in time and place. It didn't give off any heat either, although the jade glow flickered and flashed just like a real flame. As Twilight drew closer to it, she could see that the light illuminated a spiral staircase, that seemed to stretch far beyond the reaches of the tower they occupied. Come to think of it, they had walked far beyond where their tower should have been by this point. Twilight had since given up trying to comprehend the inner workings of this world, and chose to simply go with the flow. Slowly but surely she and Blueblood ascended the staircase, the sound of their hoofbeats the only noise.

As Twilight continued her upwards climb, she paused near a large slit carved into the wall. Its sides were smoothly cut into the black, bone-like substance, and appeared to have been polished to a glossy sheen. However, it was the world outside the window that caught Twilight's eye. The skies were bright again, flashing in their erratic pattern of ever shifting colors, punctuated by streaking black stars. She managed to crane her neck, poking her head through the rather narrow slat. Once her head was outside the tower however, the sky was black as coal once more, with only the pulsating moons to light the streets below. Upon pulling her head back in again however, everything reverted back. Something very odd was going on here.

They reached the top of the staircase, only to stand in a wide, open chamber lit by numerous green fire braziers. unlike the rest of the chamber, this room was actually very well lit, even if it was a nauseating green color. The walls seemed to have been covered in a fine, almost metallic substance, looking like the entire room had been gilded in gold leaf. A low table sat before them, surrounded on all sides by cushioned pads. Although there was no food upon the table, it was set as though a great feast were being held, with numerous plates and knives and goblets set up in positions around the table, as though whoever owned it had been expecting guests.

Blueblood ran a hoof along one of the silvery plates, a thin film of dust left upon his hoof. "Seems like whoever set this table did it a while back, perhaps days or even weeks ago. Not to mention they were expecting quite a few guests at their party."

"The question is, what sort of 'guests' would be arriving at a place like this?" Twilight said, picking up one of the goblets to examine it under the glow of the green lights. "You think maybe someone was expecting those cultists we stopped?"

"Could be." The Prince replied. "Certainly seems likely. But how would they have gotten the message across dimensions? Its not like they have a telegraph line between Equestria and Carcosa."

"I'd assume if they found a way to open portals through dimensions, then they could pretty easily find a way to communicate across it. But you're right, it does seem a little odd. I think the question we ought to be asking is, what were they trying to contact here?"

"Well, I heard those cultists mention something. They said they were offering a sacrifice to the 'King in Yellow'. I'm guessing that this King was the one they were looking for. Then that means..."

"That we're in a palace."

"The banquet hall to be precise."

Twilight set her goblet down, and began to trace along the wall of the banquet hall. It looked like the room was a dead end, but Twilight was beginning to realize that here in Carcosa, things were never as they seemed. She touched her hooves to the black walls, applying only the slightest bit of pressure as she moved along. She noticed what appeared to be an opening to a hallway, but it was on the ceiling. However, when she applied pressure to the wall below it, she was able to push through as though nothing was there. It was weird, but it worked.

"I found another passageway." She called to the prince, making sure she caught his attention before passing directly through the wall. Somehow she had imagined it would feel different walking through walls. She had imagined there would be some sort of palpable sensation from the material, yet there was none. Of course, she wasn't even sure if there really was a wall there. The laws of physics she had grown so accustomed to seemed to be completely wrong here. Once she and Blueblood returned to Equestria, she had every intention of writing a book with her observations on the warped reality she encountered here.

As Twilight exited on the other side of the illusory wall, she had to adjust her eyes to the darkness. It seemed that assuming this place would be well lit was no more than a fleeting hope. She ignited her horn, and the glow was soon joined by another as Blueblood followed suit. The room in which they stood was a bit smaller than the banquet hall, though still rather open. The walls were covered with images; massive tapestries of strange, bipedal pale beings dressed in yellow robes. They were arrayed along the walls in a semicircular pattern, their portraits surrounded by strange runes and glyphs that had been etched into the wall and made to stand out with gold inlays. Further into the room, still shrouded by shadow, was a throne. It was nothing like the thrones in Canterlot, with their velvet cushions and gilded wooden frames. The throne of Carcosa was twisted and gnarled, like a tree with its branches doubling back upon themselves. Twilight gulped softly, for she swore that she had seen the throne moving. She pushed the thought from her mind, as she and Blueblood began to explore the throne room.

"What in Celestia's name are these things?" Blueblood said, staring at the intricately woven tapestry that towered above him. "Are these the natives of Carcosa?"

"I think we can assume these things are native to Carcosa, seeing as they have their portraits in the throne room. But to say they're the natives here might be a stretch. Maybe those weird bird-bat-bug things we saw earlier are the natives, and these are just the rulers." Twilight moved to stand beside him, hoping to stay as far as she could from the throne. Something about it just felt off.

"You may be right." Blueblood leaned in to examine the series of strange squiggles and signs that lined the walls around the image. He had seen plenty of languages in his day, yet these symbols didn't seem to match up with any of them. One sign in particular stood out to him however. It was an odd, curved figure, which was somehow entirely alien, yet all too familiar to the prince. One thing was certain to him however. This sign did not exist in any equine script, and judging by the shape of the runes surrounding it, it was perhaps not a member of this language either. Whatever it was, it sent a chill down his spine.

"Blueblood come check this out." Twilight called from the opposite side of the chamber. The wall in front of her was covered from floor to ceiling with those same strange symbols, interspersed with tiny, carved pictures of those bipedal beings. However, what Twilight pointed to was something all the more mind boggling. Amid all the swirled sigils and glyphs was a small image of a four legged being. It seemed to be wearing the same robes as the bipeds, but there was no mistaking it. There was a single, solitary carving of an equine being. It had one hoof outstretched, upon which sat an open tome. Nearby was one of those two legged creatures, its hand also over the book.

Blueblood's eyes grew wide. "It can't be."

"But it is. Somepony has been here before us."

"When I was serving in Saddle Arabia, some of the royals there told me the tale of a pony by the name of Abdullah Alhazred. He was a scribe who had served the Caliphate for years, before requesting a leave of absence to meet with his family. When his request was granted, Abdullah vanished for 15 years. He returned a vastly changed pony. They said he had gone mad, that he spoke only in gibberish, clinging to a book he had carried with him. He died only days later, screaming until the last ounce of breath left his body." Blueblood paused, staring at the figure on the wall. "Celestia and Luna both... Could the legends be true?"

"At this point, I'm willing to believe anything." Twilight mused, still examining the other carvings. They seemed to be a history of sorts, though exactly what the history was telling was anypony's guess. She began to feel a growing dread in the pit of her stomach. Her curiosity still burned, yet now she was worried about what else she might uncover here. She felt as though there were things lying amid these shadows that perhaps she, nor anypony else, was meant to know. Besides, she had seen plenty now, enough to fill volumes on the strange new discoveries she had made.

"Alright Blueblood lets go-" Twilight turned to leave, then instinctively froze in her tracks.

Something sat upon the throne.

Something very much _alive_.

It looked almost identical to the last of the tapestries; a tall, massive being clad in flowing yellow robes, face obscured by a pallid, featureless mask. It seemed to grow in size as it rose from its seat, filling the chamber with not only its body, but also its presence. It towered far above the prince and princess, seeming to stretch far beyond the limits of the room. As the light from her horn illuminated the creature, Twilight felt her stomach tying itself in knots. Everything about it was just plain wrong, from its size to its shape, everything about it seemed a massive contradiction of the logic she had so deeply instilled within herself. Its form seemed blasphemous to nature, the very fabric of its robes seeming to squirm and crawl. Twilight and Blueblood were so paralyzed from the sight that all they could do was back away slowly, till they were pressed against the opposite wall from the creature.

Slowly, the loathsome being began to move towards them, although it seemed to lack any visible means of propelling itself. Its robes scraped across the floor, appearing to leave long drag marks in the bony substance, yet it made no sound. In fact, in the presence of this _thing_ all sound seemed to vanish. The room was blanketed by a palpable silence, the feeling practically squeezing around the prince and princess as the entity drew ever closer. It froze, its masked face staring down at them.

Twilight began to grope about frantically, trying to find some sort of passage or escape route, yet her search proved fruitless. She was trapped between a bone wall and a towering fiend. It seemed frozen for a moment, glaring down at her through false eyes. She could have sworn she heard Blueblood whimpering in fear.

Then the mask fell away.

What lay behind the mask was simply indescribable. It was a twisted mass of impossibility that boggled the mind with its transgressions against logic. No words from any tongue that equinity had since created could relate to it, save for one. Wrong. Everything about it was wrong. It didn't exist. It _couldn't_ exist. It was so far beyond comprehension, that the ponies sight failed them. They did not perceive the face as a sight, for it was far more than that. They perceived it as a feeling. They perceived it as pain. It was snapping, twisting, shrieking, clawing, gnawing pain, and it permeated every cell of their bodies. It felt as though something had bored into their brains, scuttling about with chitinous legs and ripping its way through their grey matter. It was foulness and decay seeping through their bones, making them feel as though their flesh had been afflicted with boils, hives, and pus filled sores. It was profanity and blasphemy tainting their minds, their very thoughts seeming to melt amid a sea of horrific visions as they tried to wrap their mortal minds around what their eyes had witnessed.

As if by an act of self preservation, Twilight's horn lit up, surrounding both her and Blueblood with a blinding purple light. Before either of them knew what was happening, they had teleported out of the throne room, and high into the skies above Carcosa. Twilight's head was swimming, and her body numb as she began to free fall through the dim skies. The ground began to approach, and yet there was simply nothing she could do about it. Her mind and body had been thoroughly broken by what she had witnessed. As the vision of the wickedness that lay behind the mask faded from her mind, the reality of the situation began to dawn on her. She reached over, taking a firm hold of the Prince as she spread her wings, settling into a rather shaky glide above the frothing cloud lake.

Blueblood was trembling as the two of them floated above the swirling foam. Twilight hadn't noticed yet, but she too was shaking as she flew. Her breathing was shallow and rapid. A part of her wanted to turn around, to see if the being had pursued them, yet the rest of her was too afraid to check. Instead she fixated her eyes ahead, on the shadowy silhouette of a slumped pony that sat on the horizon. Twilight descended rapidly as she approached the gateway between the worlds, not slowing a bit as she flew directly through it, landing with a thump on the other side. She and Blueblood bounced and rolled across the earth in the clearing from which they had entered. They both lay on the grass, catching their breath and trying to erase the memories of what they had seen.

Twilight closed her eyes. She panted and choked, fresh air filling her lungs. The sounds of crickets and cicadas and birds chirping soon rang in her ear. The moon had fallen, and the sun had begun to rise over the horizon, casting the world around them in a sea of golden light. The sweet smell of damp earth filled her nostrils. All seemed right here. Things made sense in Equestria. Yet despite that, Twilight knew somewhere deep down that things would never be the same. Perhaps now, things in Equestria would cease to make sense. She would have taken the time to ponder this, had it not been for one small issue.

Both Blueblood and Twilight had blacked out.


End file.
